The present invention relates generally to automated processing of document forms, and specifically to enhancing efficiency of human operators in keying into a computer information that is filled into such forms.
Despite progress in automation of data gathering functions, much large-scale data collection, such as census taking, is still carried out by manually filling in forms. The data are typically written by hand into designated fields on a preprinted form. Although optical character recognition (OCR) can generally be used to read at least a portion of the forms automatically by computer, there are still usually many fields that cannot be deciphered by OCR, at least not with a desired level of confidence. These fields must then be processed by a human operator, who manually keys the field contents into a computer. This manual key-in is typically the most costly part of large-scale data gathering.
As a rule, the forms to be processed are scanned into a computer, and an image of each field that is to be keyed in is displayed on the operator""s computer screen. In order to reduce the time that the operator spends keying each field, while decreasing the likelihood of operator errors, it is important to display the field images in the clearest and most convenient possible fashion.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide improved methods and systems for displaying fields from filled-in forms, to be keyed into a computer terminal by an operator. The present invention addresses the problem of multi-line fields, wherein information is filled into a form on -two or more successive lines. In this situation, it is not always clear to the operator whether the first character on the second (or subsequent) line is a continuation of the last word in the preceding line, which is thus split over the two lines, or whether it is the start of a new word.
In preferred embodiments of the present invention, in order to facilitate rapid key-in and assist the operator in intuitively resolving this ambiguity, the multiple lines of the field are concatenated together into a single line on the operator""s display screen, while maintaining a visual distinction between the characters in each succeeding line. No artificial line break characters or spaces between the contents of successive lines are inserted in the display, however, since these elements tend to confuse the operator and might even be keyed in by the operator as part of the field contents. Preferably, the characters in each successive line are shifted slightly up or down on the display relative to the characters from the preceding line. The offset should be sufficient to show the line break, but not so great as to interrupt the visual continuity of the of the concatenated line. Alternatively, other means, such as color variations, may be used to visually distinguish the characters in successive lines.
There is therefore provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for displaying data, including:
receiving an input image of alphanumeric characters appearing on first and second lines; and
concatenating the characters into a single line so as to generate an output image in which the characters from the second line follow the characters from the first line substantially without interruption therebetween, while maintaining a visual distinction between the characters from the first line and the characters from the second line.
Preferably, concatenating the characters includes displacing the characters from the second line transversely relative to the characters from the first line, most preferably by a transverse distance that is substantially less than a height of the single line. In a preferred embodiment, receiving the input image includes receiving an image that includes further alphanumeric characters appearing on a third line, and concatenating the characters includes adding the characters from the third line to the characters in the single line, such that the characters in the third line are substantially aligned transversely with the characters in the first line.
Alternatively or additionally, concatenating the characters includes displaying the characters from the first line in a first color, and the characters from the second line in a second color, different from the first color.
Preferably, receiving the input image includes receiving an image of a field from a form document, the field including the first and second lines, which are filled in with the alphanumeric characters, and the method includes displaying the output image on a computer terminal, for key-in of the characters by an operator of the terminal.
There is also provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, apparatus for displaying data, including a document image processor, which is adapted to receive an input image of alphanumeric characters appearing on first and second lines, and to concatenate the characters into a single line so as to generate an output image in which the characters from the second line follow the characters from the first line substantially without interruption therebetween, while maintaining a visual distinction between the characters from the first line and the characters from the second line.
Preferably, the apparatus includes a display screen, which is driven by the processor to display the output image, and a keyboard, coupled to the processor, for key-in of the characters by an operator viewing the output image on the screen.
There is additionally provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a computer software product, including a computer-readable medium in which program instructions are stored, which instructions, when read by a computer that receives an input image of alphanumeric characters appearing on first and second lines, causes the computer to concatenate the characters into a single line so as to generate an output image in which the characters from the second line follow the characters from the first line substantially without interruption therebetween, while maintaining a visual distinction between the characters from the first line and the characters from the second line.